Tonight’s passage is one that lays out more than man could ever imagine. Jesus revealed and proclaimed the resurrection and its effects on the world. We will break this passage down into 7 segments tonight.
READ 16-19. The resurrection of Jesus perplexes people. Here Jesus predicts His death and resurrection. His death when He said in a little while you will see me no more. His resurrection when He said and then after a little while you will see me.
This prediction puzzled the disciples and they began to ask among themselves what Jesus meant. Jesus knew they were puzzled and asks to help them. People are puzzled by both the resurrection of Jesus and the coming resurrection of all men at the end of the world. Some deny the resurrection saying that it couldn’t possibly happen. Some say the resurrection may or may not be. They want scientific proof that it can happen. Some say that the resurrection can be and that Jesus probably did arise by that it’s still puzzling. They choose to NOT think about it now.
READ 20-22. Jesus explains that the resurrection will bring joy. Note 4 things:
1. Jesus said there was to be grief at first. He was going to go away and leave them. They would weep and mourn. Their hopes would seem to be dashed on the rocks of man’s ultimate enemy: death. Jesus said that the world would rejoice at His death. Why? Because death would prove that He was NOT the Son of God. Death would prove Him false. They wouldn’t have to do all that Jesus said that disciples are to do by trying to meet the desperate needs of the world. So that would make the world happy.
2. After grief there would be joy. Jesus said that HE would arise, and His resurrection would cause His followers to burst forth with joy. His resurrection would mean that death was conquered. Men no longer had to die, no longer had to be condemned for sin. They could be delivered from sin and death by following Jesus.
3. Jesus gave a good illustration of the violent contrast between the sorrow over death and the joy of the resurrection. He describes a woman’s pain in giving birth. Not ever having given birth, I ask you women, did Jesus describe it pretty closely?
4. The resurrection brings joy just as a newborn baby brings joy to a woman in pain. Two things cause the joy.
a. The resurrection and presence of Jesus Himself brings great joy. Just think: Jesus is not dead. His body hasn’t decayed in a grave. He has risen. There is victory over the grave, triumph over death. Man can now live forever.
b. Secondly, the believer’s joy of really knowing the resurrection of Jesus can’t be taken away by any man. When the trials and grief of earth come upon us, we still know the joy of the Lords’ presence and care. We still know that Christ will escort us into the Fathers’ presence eternally. We still know that we will be child of the new heavens and earth to be created for the Father’s family.
READ 23-24. The resurrection gives us open access into God’s presence.
1. Note the glorious promise: an open door into God’s presence. Jesus said in that day, after His resurrection, there will be no need to ask Him anything. This doesn’t mean that we can’t ask Him, only that we don’t have to ask Him. Whatever the believer asks the Father in Jesus’ name, He will give it to the believer. We can approach God as our Father just as child approaches his earthly father.
2. Note the institution of prayer—of our approach to God, of our communion with Him—in JESUS’ NAME. This is crucial. Our approach to the Father must be in Jesus’ name. Before Jesus, men had always asked God for things directly, but no more. The resurrection instituted a new and living way into God’s presence. Men must now approach God through Jesus Christ. That’s why Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father but by Me.”
Note two promises to the one who asks in Jesus’ name. He will receive what he asks. And his joy is full and complete.
READ 25-27. This is where the resurrection reveals all about the Father.
1. Jesus said that the resurrection would show the Father plainly. The resurrection shows God’s nature of compassion, of salvation, of power, of life, of justice, and of omniscience.
2. The resurrection shows that the approach to God—prayer—is in the name of Jesus.
3. The resurrection shows that the Father Himself loves the believer. Jesus said that He wouldn’t have to beg the Father to receive and hear the believer. He doesn’t have to intercede or take the believer to God. The believer doesn’t need an Intercessor to be received by the Father. Jesus says the Father Himself loves the believer. But there is a crucial point to note. The Father loves the believer for a reason. That reason is that the believer loves Jesus, and believes that Jesus came from God.
It’s because of Jesus that the Father receives and hears the believer. What Jesus says here about God gives us a picture of God as Father that differs greatly from the normal picture of God.
The normal picture of God is that God is angry and has to be begged by Jesus to receive and hear us, that God is far off someplace out in space, almost too far to be reached, that maybe God is and maybe God is not, but you should go ahead and pray just in case. That’s how many people picture God.
But Jesus gives us a picture of God loving us and accepting us openly simply because we love His Son Jesus and believe in Him.
READ 28. The resurrection validates and proves Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah. In one brief statement Jesus gave the whole plan of salvation. “I came from the Father and entered the world.” AND “I am leaving this world and going back to the father.”
READ 29-32. This point is one that we don’t often consider. The resurrection exposes weak faith. Something Jesus said struck the disciples’ hearts. Just what it was is not really known. It may have been His promise to show them the Father (meaning that He explained all that He was saying) or the fact that the Father loves them.
Whatever it was, it caused the disciples to make a great declaration of faith.
“You know all things” and “You came from God.” This is what a believer should openly admit, that God is omniscient and that Jesus came from God.
Still Jesus questioned their belief and predicted their desertion. Note 3 facts that are a great encouragement to us as believers.
1. Jesus was never alone, even when men didn’t stand with Him. The Father was with Him through every situation no matter how terrible. Even when He didn’t have the support of me. He had God and His support.
2. Jesus was forgiving. He forgave every one of the men, even for deserting Him. He didn’t hold their sin and failure against them.
3. Jesus knew all. Even when He chose these men. He knew they would fail and desert Him, yet He went ahead and chose them. He knew they were trustworthy and would eventually prove faithful.
READ 33. Finally, the resurrection makes available true peace, triumphant peace. The world can only give us trials and trouble. No matter who the person is, the trials and troubles come. That’s the way of the world, and no one can avoid it. So whatever peace comes from this world is only fleeting.
So I want to close out chapter 16 with a comforting word of peace.
Whatever peace comes from this world is only fleeting.
But the peace of Jesus Christ—the peace that is in Him—is lasting. It’s an overcoming peace, a peace that overcomes the trials and troubles of the world, no matter what they are, even the terrible trials of sin and death. But we must note that this overcoming peace is only in Jesus. It’s only in His Word, in the things which He spoke.
So, the peace of God, that deep, comforting, overcoming peace comes only through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, only through His conquest and victory over sin and death.
No Jesus. No Peace.
Know Jesus. Know Peace.
